Japan gave $500k for -post Yolanda relief

The Japanese government and the International Labor Organizaton (ILO) have allocated $500,000 to help support the post-relief response in several parts of Visayas, which has been severaly battered by Typhoon Yolanda earlier this month.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan has provided the funds under the ILO/Japan Fund for Building Social Safety Nets in Asia and the Pacific.

The fund is to be used to support the recovery from natural disaster, the statement from ILO said.

“The ILO is grateful to the Government of Japan for this valuable financial contribution, which will be used to support the affected population who lost their jobs and source of livelihood due to Typhoon Haiyan,” Yoshiteru Uramoto, ILO assistant director-general and regional director for Asia and the Pacific said.

“The ILO estimates that some 5.2 million workers have seen their livelihoods destroyed or disrupted. Among these, 2.3 million were already in vulnerable employment and living in poverty before typhoon Haiyan struck. This funding will help ensure occupational safety and skills training for workers involved in recovery activities.”

Typhoon Yolanda swept through the Central Philippines on November 8, killing more than 5,000 and causing damage in 36 provinces across nine regions.
Over 13 million people have had their lives turned upside down and over one million houses were either destroyed or severely damaged.

The ILO/Japan Fund for Building Social Safety Nets (SSN) in Asia and the Pacific was set up following the signing of an agreement between the ILO and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in June 2011.

The SSN Fund aims to support countries in Asia and the Pacific to build and strengthen the basis of social safety nets through capacity building and networking, enhance activities of trade unions and employers’ organizations and promote disaster relief. BERNICE CAMILLE V. BAUZON